Shaken or Stirred: MGM National Harbor Debuts Mixology Class

Shaken or Stirred: MGM National Harbor Debuts Mixology Class

Learn the history of cocktails through an intimate, education-forward mixology experience

Click to tweet:Sip your way through cocktail history with intimate mixology class at #LobbyBar@MGMNatlHarbor

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD (Nov. 16, 2017) – Sip and socialize while studying the art of mixology at MGM National Harbor’s Lobby Bar with a new experience featuring interactive cocktail demonstrations of classic libations. From terminology to technique, the educational program reveals the history and artistry behind the creation of six iconic American cocktails.

Led by a member of Lobby Bar’s highly skilled mixologists, guests will learn the evolution of American cocktail culture over the past 150 years, while simultaneously acquiring the skills needed to create the perfect drink, from balance and texture, to color and garnish.

Guests will receive a specialty 1-liter Woodford Reserve barrel for batching whiskey or cocktails at home and can put their newly found skills to the test with a souvenir booklet that includes classic cocktail recipes along with each drink’s unique history.

Reservations can be made through MGM National Harbor Beverage Department via email at mixology101@mgmnationalharbor.com. Lobby Bar’s mixology class is held Monday through Friday from 1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m. Reservations must be made 48 hours in advance and may be booked for up to five people per class. Pricing is as follows, excluding gratuity:

1 Person - $95

2 People (couples’ rate) - $160

Group of five – $400

The six cocktails include:

Manhattan
Derived during the “Golden Age of Cocktail” in the late-1800s, the Manhattan is a careful balance of whiskey, sweet vermouth and bitters. While one of the simplest of classic cocktails, its rich history is anything but.

Mai Tai
Though the “Mai Tai” – which means “good” in Tahitian – is often believed to have originated on the Pacific island, it was actually created by Victor J. Bergeron, better known as Trader Vic, who wanted to impress his Tahitian friends who were visiting the U.S. The novel Tiki cocktail transports guests to white sand beaches with its rum-based blend

Moscow Mule
In the 1940s, the effervescent delight Americans have come to know as the “Moscow Mule” was developed by John A. Morgan, president of Cock ’n’ Bull Ginger Beer; John G. Martin, president of G.F. Heublein Brothers Inc.; and Rudolph Kunett, president of Pierre Smirnoff, Heublein’s vodka division. The “happy” concoction – as the three gentlemen dubbed it at the time – is as refreshing as it is innovative.

Aviation
The roaring 20s was an era of economic and cocktail prosperity. Inspired by America’s biggest aeronautical feats during this time, the Aviation, created by famed 1920s bartender Hugo Ensslin, is a gin-focused beverage with a blue-like hue reminiscent of soaring 30,000 feet above.

Side Car
According to cocktail scholar David A. Embury’s 1948 book, “The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks,” the Side Car was a popular choice of an American Army Capital during World War I who would frequently travel by side car to legendary Harry’s Bar in Paris for this specific citrus-forward nightcap.

Hemingway Daiquiri
The Hemingway Daiquiri, also known as the “Papa Doble,” is rumored to have been created for famed American novelist Ernest Hemingway during his time living in Cuba. It is said he spent many days sipping on a variation of the traditional rum-based daiquiri with a fruit-forward flavor profile.

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About MGM National Harbor
The newest addition to the MGM Resorts International (NYSE:MGM) portfolio, MGM National Harbor has an unrivaled setting offering stunning panoramic views of the eastern shore of the Potomac River in Maryland. The $1.4 billion LEED® Gold Certified resort, which opened December 8, 2016, sits a short distance from Washington, D.C. to the north and historic sites, including George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate across the river in Virginia. The 24-story, 308-room resort features premier amenities and experiences for locals as well as visitors from around the world including a dynamic casino with over 125,000 square feet of space that includes slots, table games and poker; a world-class spa and salon; an entertainment theater with flexible seating for up to 3,000; high-end branded retail; 50,000 square feet of meeting space; and restaurants from renowned local, national and international chefs. For more information, visit mgmnationalharbor.com or follow on Facebook and Twitter.

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